Last Updated on January 28, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
When I was younger and playing junior golf, I played almost exclusively public golf courses. The conditions were decent, the people were good and supportive of my goals in the game, and it was what I could afford.
As I got a little older and started making some of my own money, there was a semi private country club that I would often play with my golf coach. We couldn’t play there on weekends, but during the week, as long as it was after 10am, it was safe to play.
The concept of semi private country clubs is unique, and it’s certainly not an experience for everyone. I’ll explain how these semi private golf courses work and whether or not you may want to be part of one.
Semi private country clubs: Key Takeaways
If you are headed out to the first tee and don’t have time to read my entire opinion on whether or not semi private country clubs are worth it, here are a few takeaways:
- Semi private country clubs are far better for the daily fee golfer than they are for the member of the semi private country club
- Pay close attention to course conditions; the daily fee golfer doesn’t always care as much as the semi private member.
- Ask to see a tee sheet before joining; just because play is restricted from outside people doesn’t mean there will be tee times available for you.
- Amenities are key at a semi private country club; are those open to members only?
- Ultimately the decision to join the semi private country club comes down to personal preference, budget, and opinion.
What exactly is a semi private country club?
A semi private country club allows people that are members to access the club at all times of the week and day, but it restricts access to outside playing during the peak times. In addition, a semi private country club will host events and tournaments for its members only and not the outside play.
What does semi private mean?
Semi private means that a country club is private some of the time, and public the rest of the time. Most semi private clubs offer complete access to the public during the weekdays, or late afternoons.
Why do semi private country clubs exist?
Many golf courses start as a private club and then have to change to semi private when the financial situation is not as strong. If courses can’t reach their budget, and they just don’t have
the volume of people that they need, they often go semi private.
Some country clubs are designed as semi private from the start, simply to appeal to all types of paying golf customers.
How do semi private country club memberships work?
When you join a semi private country club, you have access to priority tee times, member events, and amenities that other daily fee golfers do not have. The majority of semi private country clubs will let members take the first tee times of the day (8-11 am), and they may also close the golf course to outside play for the weekends.
Most semi private country clubs would love to give their members the majority of the benefit, but the equation has to make sense financially. If the club can support itself by being semi private just on Wednesday and Thursday, they may do just that.
When you join a semi private country club, you must understand the ins and outs of the tee time system and what the true benefit of membership is.
The negatives of joining semi private country clubs
You probably thought I would start with all the positives of semi private country clubs, but I think in this situation, it makes sense to start with the negatives. If you are ready to pull the trigger on your semi private country club membership, I would read through this entire list.
- Tee Time Availability: not only do you have to compete with outside players for tee times, but also with your fellow members. Always look at a tee sheet on a Saturday before joining.
- Have to stay diligent about making times: you might end up having to set an alarm clock to get those tee times in before the masses; it’s a different experience than many other private country clubs.
- Course conditions: if you think a person who pays $7500 a year and one who paid $75 for the round is going to care about the golf course in the same way, think again
- Customer service: some semi private country clubs do a great job of distinguishing between their members and daily players; others treat everyone the same way. If you are looking for that true private club experience, you may not find it when you go the semi private route.
Positives of joining semi private country club
The positives should be a little easier to figure out; chances are these were clearly portrayed when you got a tour of the club. The full benefits of joining a semi private country club will be impacted by your personal situation, proximity to the club, and financial situation.
- Lower pricing: joining a semi private country club is cheaper than joining a private country club. You won’t have to completely subsidize the club with your dues; the greens fees from outside play help to keep your dues down.
- Better conditions than the public: semi private country clubs have to maintain a certain level of golf course conditions because they have people paying dues, capital reserve, etc.
- Tee time availability: it can be easier to get a tee time during the “member only” period of the day.
- Tournaments and events: semi private country clubs should still be doing tournaments and events for their members; having access to these is a big positive.
- Amenities: if you are looking to access other parts of the club, like tennis courts, fitness, social events, and swimming pools, that should be part of your membership.
Should I play semi private country clubs?
As a daily fee golfer, private country clubs are great to play. You get access to much better course conditions than traditional golf courses. It’s kind of like getting the member experience for a day.
Of course, the pricing is a little higher than your standard public golf course, but I would schedule a round here at least a few times a season. If nothing else, the greens are likely going to be a little faster than what you are used to playing.
How do I know if semi private country club membership is for me?
As a former membership director at a private country club, I can tell you that there is a process you should go through before signing up for your semi private country club membership. I know that the lower initiation fees and dues payments can seem enticing, but you have to consider the whole picture.
First, look at the location of the semi private club. If it’s less than ten minutes from your home or workplace, membership will be a much easier decision to make. As you move further away, you will come up with excuses not to use the club, and that becomes a problem.
Then start to consider when you use the club. Do you play every afternoon? What are the benefits to members that play in the afternoons? If the course opens to the public at 1 every day of the week, you aren’t going to benefit all that much from tee time availability.
Finally, you need to compare pricing on the public vs. semi private vs. private. Base the pricing around the average number of rounds that you play each month. The private will be more expensive and the public less expensive than semi private, we already know this.
However, you must determine whether or not those differences are worth it for your budget. If semi private is $2000 more per year than public and that makes sense to you, go for it! If the private is $4000 more per year than semi private and you can afford it, do it.
Final Thoughts
Personally, I like playing semi private country clubs; I don’t think they are the easiest sell when it comes to joining a club. However, if you live in a community that has a semi private country club, or there is one a few minutes from your home, I would highly consider the semi private route.
